Agenda item

To receive an update from Councillor Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development on timelines for actioning the recommendations of the overview and scrutiny committee on Southwark’s Climate Strategy and Action Plan, arising from its meeting held on 1 December 2021.

Note:  Cabinet is due to consider its response to the recommendations of the overview and scrutiny committee at its meeting scheduled for 8 March 2022.  The intended cabinet response will be included with this agenda for information once the cabinet agenda has been published (anticipated publication date – Monday 28 February 2022).

The committee received an update from Councillor Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Develop on timelines for actioning the recommendations of the overview and scrutiny committee.

Councillor Dennis reported that the proposed cabinet response to overview and scrutiny committee recommendations was due to be considered by cabinet on 8 March 2022.  Councillor Dennis welcomed the overview and scrutiny committee’s recommendations and explained that a number of the recommendations were already in line with what the council was planning to do in terms of the review of the strategy and action plan.

Councillor Dennis also reported that the strategy and action plan would be submitted to cabinet for review in July 2022 (and not September which had been previously stated in error).  The timing of the review would enable cabinet to take account of recommendations from the Citizens Jury which was publishing its report in the week, and also take account of any future commitments in the Borough Plan after May 2022 elections. 

Councillor Dennis also reported that a meeting launch was taking place on 3 March which would be bringing together members of the citizens’ jury, councillors, other stakeholders, partners and people involved in the oversight panel.  A further event was also scheduled to take place on 10 March which was open to members of the public to attend and ask questions.  The public would also be able to hear from the citizens’ jury as well.  The event was being publicised through social media and newsletters.

The committee also heard from Tom Sharland, Climate Change Programme Lead who reported on the establishment of internal governance structures, tracking of teams, risk, and key milestones, and the strengthening of the SMART actions which were being done over the coming months.

Following the initial presentations, questions and discussion were held around the following:

·  The sharing of an overarching project plan with the future committee

·  Timelines for review of the various associated strategies (Southwark Plan, Movement Plan, Air Quality, Fairer Future procurement framework)

·  Councillor training on climate strategy – the need for contribution of external experts

·  Training, communications and other measures required to achieve culture shift needed in the Council to get all staff thinking about tackling climate emergency through their work

·  How the council will work with the third sector and communities around the next iteration of the climate action plan

·  Next steps following Citizens Jury

·  Biggest obstacles going forward.

Action point – Councillor Dennis to write to the committee with timeline for review of the various strategies to inform future scrutiny activity.